


The Long And Slimy Road

by Merixcil



Series: Snail Racing AU [2]
Category: GOT7, VIXX
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, snail racing AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-08 14:15:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10388568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merixcil/pseuds/Merixcil
Summary: Taekwoon and Jackson make their way through Wu Yifan's autobiography at a snail's pace





	

**Author's Note:**

> I would really recommend reading [Slow And Steady](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3553406) before this, it will make a whole lot more sense. It tells the tale of how Jackson and Taekwoon got together, as well as establishing the world building for this series.

Late night chill nips at Taekwoon’s finger tips and he pushes his hands deeper into his pockets. Of all the nights for them to be standing on a pavement, waiting for midnight, the universe would have to throw them the first properly cold night of the season.

“Five minutes,” Jackson grins around chattering teeth. He’s bundled up in one of Taekwoon’s old coats on account of it being larger than anything he owns himself. Taekwoon, meanwhile, had been foolish enough to think that a jumper would suffice and if Jackson is cold, then it’s nothing on him.

Still, he has his pride. “I’m fine,” he grumbles, when Jackson threads his arms round his waist and pulls him into a back hug.

“Oh please, there’s no use you standing out here freezing to death,” Jackson hums into Taekwoon’s back. He’s not tall enough to rest his head on his boyfriend’s shoulders, so his nose presses between his shoulder blades. The warmth of his breath just breaks through Taekwoon’s thin jacket, but it’s enough to take the edge off the cold.

The line’s not all that long, this is no Harry Potter, but a fair few people have turned out for the book launch. Taekwoon had passed the shop on the way home from work earlier that day and the girls at the front of the line had already been in place, ready to be the first through the doors to grab themselves the first saleable copy of _The Long And Slimy Road_. Jackson would have probably beaten them to it, if it had occurred to him to leave the house earlier than eleven pm.

“I’m just saying,” Jackson mumbles into Taekwoon’s back, “you’re staying over tonight anyway. We could just stay up and-“

“No!”

“But we could just-“

“I have to work tomorrow!” Taekwoon smiles somewhat half-heartedly, “you know I’d stay up all night reading that book if I could.”

Jackson gives a semi-serious huff of annoyance, no doubt already planning how to sneak into Taekwoon’s workplace the next morning so that they can read together out back. Then the doors to the shop open up ahead and the line starts moving.

Inside, the shop is decked out in garish orange and yellow to match the cover of the much anticipated book. There are posters advertising it thrown up all over the place, flanking piles of what has to be three hundred copies from the first batch alone.

And there, right by the door, is a lifesized cardboard cut out of the book’s author, Wu Yifan.

“It’s so beautiful,” Jackson groans, when he sees it. Taekwoon can’t even disagree with him. Tall, good looking with full lips and a firm brow, and the greatest snail racer of all time. Wu Yifan really has it all. 

They scurry over to the nearest pile of books and Jackson grabs the top copy, immediately flipping to the inside cover to check the blurb. Taekwoon pokes his head over his shoulder to get a good look in.

_The story of Wu Yifan’s rise to prominence told in full for the very first time, the way it’s supposed to be told. Starting from humble origins racing in local competitions, to international superstardom, to his bond with best pal Bertha. This is the definitive guide to the world’s most prominent snail racer._

Jackson snaps the cover shut, and turns to Taekwoon with his best puppy eyes. “You _have_ to call in sick tomorrow.”

“I _have_ to get Mildred a bigger tank, I can’t afford it,” Taekwoon replies. Truly, he’s miserable over it, He would far rather spend tomorrow in bed with a book, but such is life.

They take the book to the counter, and Jackson pays, because some people actually make enough money racing snails to not need to worry about day jobs. Taekwoon shivers all the way back to Jackson’s flat, the only part of him not threatening to freeze is the hand shoved firmly into Jackson’s.

 

 

 

Taekwoon gets woken far too early the next morning by a plate of eggs materialising under his nose. The bedside lamp flicks on and he flinches away from the light, scrambling to find his phone in the hopes that turning his alarm off will end this hell.

“Eat up!” Jackson says merrily, pushing the plate into Taekwoon’s hands and passing him his phone. The alarm has been satisfactorily disabled and wasn’t supposed to go off for another half hour anyway.

Taekwoon is not amused. “Why am I awake?” he growls.

Jackson seems completely unphased, dropping onto the foot of the bed and pulling the book out from behind his back. He’s already dressed, with that bright spark in his eyes that people only manage at this time of day when they’ve had coffee.

“I thought we should get started before you had to leave,” Jackson says, opening up the book to the first page, “we have forty five minutes of reading time before you have to move, so sit back and eat your eggs while I read to you.”

“But-“

“No buts!”

Taekwoon’s eyes narrow with irritation, but his body has started spooning eggs into his mouth of its own volition and once he’s made it that far it’s impossible to back out of this deal.

Jackson clears his throat, slips his glasses onto his nose, and starts to read.

“I’d always had something of a fascination with snails, from when I was a little kid. I think it was something about the way they moved – they’re purposeful little buggers, even if they’re kind of slow.

We used to eat water snails back home in Guangzhou, for the Autumn festival; but it was always the terrestrial snails that caught my attention. I still remember the day I first saw a picture of a Giant African Land Snail in a school textbook. It was the day I decided what I was going to do with my life…”

 

 

 

Mildred comes to work with Taekwoon, not because he needs them there particularly, but he is going straight onto practice at closing time. He pulls their tank out of his bag and sets it on his desk, where they peer back at him somewhat reproachfully, tentacles retracted and snubbed. He feels kind of bad about the arrangement – the travel tank is not all that large – but it’s more than his job’s worth to let them roam free.

“Aww they’re so cute,” Sandara coos as she drops into her seat at Taekwoon’s right.

He purses his lips, “they're grumpy.”

“Well grumpy can be cute too.”

“ALRIGHT PEOPLE!” Taeil barks from the front of their row, “I want you all answering phones in the next two minutes. Let’s make a good day of it.” And just like that, their diminutive boss vanishes behind the divide between management and the workforce.

Taekwoon turns back to his computer, scowling. He hates being bossed around.

“It’s just a day job,” he mutters when Mildred shifts themselves into a particularly condescending squiggle on the tank wall.

The snail regards him haughtily, as if to suggest that they would never dream of stooping so low.

 

 

 

“NO SPOILERS!” Bambam squeals when Youngji bursts through the door ready to discuss the entirety of Wu Yifan’s book.

“What do you mean you haven’t finished it yet?” Youngji scoffs, pulling Solomon out of her bag and setting the still small Giant African Landsnail down on the nearest table. They’re growing into a rather marvelous specimen, but they have nothing on Boris.

Speaking of Boris, they arrive on Jackson’s shoulder as he rushes over to Youngji asking that she refrain from spoiling the book on pain of not being allowed to come to the next ‘club social event’.

Yonngji snorts. “Please, the only thing we ever do at those social events is get drunk and get into arguments.” But she shuts up nonetheless.

“Now gang!” Jackson beams at the collective ranks of _The Jackson Wang School For Aspiring Snail Racers_ once everyone’s arrived in the practice room, “I thought, seeing as how the illustrious Wu Yifan has recently released a book, it would be remiss of us as a snail racing society to not dedicate some time to reading it.”

“What if we’ve already read it?” Youngji asks

“Then you can shut up and let the rest of us enjoy the ride,” Min grins, “take it away Jackson.”

Jackson doesn’t start from the beginning, he picks up exactly where he and Taekwoon left off that morning. Wu Yifan entering his first snail race in his home town, his chosen snail a rather pathetic little thing he had found in his garden that morning and named Woniu.

“To say that I was nervous about that first race is an understatement. I was terrified. Everyone else was so much bigger than me, and I knew from following the local racing scene that they were fairly experienced. Still, I put my little Woniu down on that racing table and when the whistle blew we were ready.

They say that half the battle in becoming a good snail racer is choosing a good snail. During my time on the professional circuit I have seen considerable evidence that this is true. Whether racers switch snails regularly, or like to stay bonded with a few snails over the course of their career, everyone I’ve ever known who’s gone far in the sport has been able to pick out a great snail every time. I suppose I am no great exception to this. Woniu triumphed in that first race and to this day, I have not been able to find the words to express the joy I felt at that moment. To be validated so early in my career as a snail racer is undoubtedly a key component of my success.

I never knew where Woniu came from, but I can only assume they were a rather old snail. They died just three days after their big win, and I had to move on to other snails. I have not forgotten what they did for me though, I am truly grateful, old friend.”

 

 

 

Jackson insists on paying for coffee dates, even if Taekwoon’s making enough cash to justify splurging every now and then. He’s not going to pretend he doesn’t feel bad about it, not when Jackson funds so many of their dates, but he supposes he can use the money he saves to buy Mildred some of the organic dandelion food they like so much.

“How was work,” Jackson asks hurriedly as they make a dash for the last free sofa in the shop.

Taekwoon raises an eyebrow, “you already asked me that.”

“Right.” The flash of a frown crosses Jackson’s face, the way it always does when he’s irritated with himself for not paying attention. “Man, that Taeil sounds like a hardass.”

Taekwoon shrugs, “he’s alright. You don’t have to pretend to be interested, you know. I’m aware I don’t have the most interesting job in the world.”

“Hey now, don’t put yourself down. I can’t imagine anything more interesting that watching you tearing rich housewives to pieces because they forgot to read the fine print on their kitchen equipment orders.”

When put like that, Taekwoon has to admit that his job doesn’t sound as bad as all that. Still, Jackson is obviously stalling, trying to contain his excitement and be a good boyfriend before he drags their attention back to the main event.

Taekwoon leans in to plant a kiss at the corner of Jackson’s mouth, “no need to sugar coat it,” he mumbles, “I wanna hear what happens next.”

It takes all of three seconds for Jackson to whip the book out of his bag and open it to where they’ve got up to. Wu Yifan had been describing the pain of mistreatment by his first major agent, and how tough it had been to make the decision to leave him and strike out on his own, as a solo racer.

“It’s all too easy to forget in today’s snail racing world that teams used to be the name of the game. Most racers these days are still part of a team, but the heart has gone out of group events over the past few years. In some ways I miss it, it can be lonely having to stand on the podium all by yourself. On the other hand I’m glad that the young racers of today don’t have to come up in anybody’s shadow.

I know I caused a stir when I decided to leave the EXO squad, but what can I say? It was important to me at the time. It’s true that I’ve not kept in touch with the boys from my team. It’s not something I’m proud of, but for my own peace of mind it was necessary back then. The only concession I can make is that I am now ready to talk, so if any of the old gang are reading this, call me sometime.”

 

 

 

A full two days off do nothing to improve Taekwoon’s mood when he wakes the next Monday morning. It’s still dark outside, and they had stayed up so late last night reading that Jackson is still out cold next to him. Through the dark, it’s still possible to see Mildred’s slime trails glistening on the walls of their travel tank, so unceremoniously dumped on a chair across from the bed when they had gotten home last night.

Eventually Taekwoon’s going to have to insist that they be given proper shelf space in Jackson’s snail room. It’s apparent that the two of them are going to be together for the long haul, and as long as they are crashing at each other’s places, proper measures will need to be taken to keep their snails comfortable. And in kind, Taekwoon’s going to have to make some space for Boris and Doris at his – a far harder task when his boyfriend’s snails are so much larger than his own.

With a mighty exertion of his biceps and a groan too loud to be neighbourly at this time of day, Taekwoon tries in vain to get himself out of bed. He comes crashing back down on his pillow with a huff, and double checks the time on his phone to be absolutely sure he has to get up.

“Call in sick,” Jackson slurs from the other side of the bed. He’s at his least congenial first thing in the morning and either needs to be obeyed or ignored. Taekwoon says nothing and tries again to push himself out of bed. It’s no good. He hates mornings at the best of times, he should never have allowed Jackson to talk him into staying up so late the night before.

Last night they had covered the most important chapter in the book, in Taekwoon’s mind – when Wu Yifan found Bertha in a rare animals market and formed the snail racing duo that would define a generation. His heart speeds up just thinking about it, the way the book had described the thrill of seeing a snail and just knowing that they were The One. He loves Mildred, and he couldn’t have wished for a better partner, but he also hopes to one day find a snail that he can bond with as hard and fast as Wu Yifan did with Bertha.

Once he starts thinking about it, it’s impossible to get his mind off the book. It’s about to launch into a tail of snail racing superstardom, to get into the nuts and bolts of how the sport took over the world. It’s been a week since it first came out and they still haven’t finished it despite their best efforts, and much as Taekwoon knows Jackson would rather die than skip ahead without him, he also knows that his boyfriend is getting a little jittery at the possibility of being spoiled for events further down the road.

“Fuck it.” Taekwoon reaches for his phone and fires off a quick text to Taeil, informing him that he’s been up puking all night and needs the day to recover. He switches off the snooze on the alarm and rolls over to wrap an arm around Jackson’s waist, “we’re finishing that book today.”

Jackson hums happily, settling back into Taekwoon’s weight. Finishing the book is going to be incredible, but the best thing is going to be sleeping in till noon.


End file.
